INVEST IN
YA BOY NANCY
A self-taught animator built a cult following of 10,000+ across platforms, produced a pilot with 1,500+ views, and raised $12,550 on Kickstarter — all from zero. Now he's raising $300-500K to turn Nancy — a character from Liverpool trying to make it in New York City — into a sustainable, multi-platform IP.
Raising
$300K–$500K
Seed Round
Total Raised to Date
$12,550
Kickstarter (104% funded)
Total Reach
10,000+
Across Twitter, TikTok, YouTube
The Story Behind the Character
Nancy is 4'8". He's slightly overweight. He has "love" written on his forehead like a permanent reminder he can't erase. He swears like a sailor, laughs at his own misery, and tells you he's not here to sell you anything — just here to remind you that you're already enough.
He's a 25-year-old from Liverpool who moved to New York City with nothing but a sketchbook and a dream. He ended up in an abandoned apartment beside a highway, surrounded by strangers who became his found family. That's not a gimmick. That's the story.
Nancy is the friend who shows up at your door at 2am with takeout and tells you everything is going to be okay — even though he's the one who doesn't know what's going on. He's funny first, vulnerable second, and he'll never let you forget it.
He's South Park's fearless satire meeting Avatar: The Last Airbender's emotional core — wrapped in a character so specific, so unapologetically himself, that strangers online describe their connection to him as "cult-like." Not because of marketing. Because Nancy feels like someone you'd actually want to grab a beer with, even if he's a mess.
Underneath the foul language and dark humor is a character who's been through addiction, homelessness, and self-doubt — and came out the other side trying to create something real. That's why 4,800 people on Twitter and 5,100 on TikTok decided to stick around. That's why 70 people put real money into a Kickstarter for an animated pilot from someone nobody had ever heard of.
People don't follow Nancy because they have to. They follow him because he makes them feel less alone. That's not just a social media metric. That's the foundation of every beloved character in entertainment history.
"I'm not here to sell you something you don't need. I'm here to show you that you're already enough, even if you're 4'8" and slightly overweight."
— Nancy
What Makes Nancy Different
Cody Russell
Cody Russell, 29
New York City
Dropped out of film school in 2013. Spent his 20s crisscrossing the US — experiencing homelessness, hospital stays, and creative uncertainty. Got sober in 2021 at age 27.
That sobriety was the catalyst. He revived Nancy (a character he'd sketched in 2014) and launched @yaboynancy on Twitter. Within four years, grew from zero to 4,800+ followers organically.
Self-taught in animation, audio production, voice acting, and music. The cold open for Episode 1 was created in one week while learning the software. This is a creator who learns fast, works hard, and delivers under constraints.
The Team
What We've Built So Far
Audience Growth — Twitter/X (Dec 2021 → Present)
Organic growth only. No paid promotion. Consistent posting 3-4x/week in character.
10,000+ Audience
Proven Demand
Revenue History
Audience Profile
- Age 13-65, primary 18-35
- Fans of South Park, Rick & Morty, Avatar
- Urban, creative-minded
- Crypto/web3 community crossover
- Adult animation enthusiasts
- Authentic, not corporate
- Emotional depth beneath humor
- Creator responds to every comment
- Consistent output for 4+ years
- "Cult-like" loyalty (backer testimonials)
Use of Funds
$300,000 — $500,000 Seed Round
| Category | Allocation | $500K | $300K |
|---|---|---|---|
| Season 1 Production (Episodes 2-10) | 10-episode animated series | $200,000 | $120,000 |
| Team Expansion | Hire animators, sound designer | $80,000 | $40,000 |
| Marketing & Growth | Paid social, PR, festival submissions | $50,000 | $30,000 |
| Merchandise Development | Apparel, TCG expansion, collectibles | $30,000 | $15,000 |
| Music Production | Original score + soundtrack release | $20,000 | $10,000 |
| Legal & IP Protection | Trademark, contracts, licensing prep | $20,000 | $15,000 |
| Operating Reserve | 6-month runway | $100,000 | $70,000 |
Revenue Model & ROI Path
Revenue Streams
Revenue Projections — The Math
- • 10 episodes × $25K avg license = $250K
- • 10K audience × 2% merch conversion × $75 avg order = $15K/yr
- • 3 brand integrations × $10K = $30K/yr
- • Music/streaming = ~$5K/yr (baseline)
- • Live events = ~$10K/yr (Year 2+)
- • Year 1: Distribution deal + merch launch
- • Year 2: Season 2 development + licensing deals
- • Year 3+: Multi-season revenue, IP expansion
Comparable Indie-to-Studio Animation IPs
Risks & Mitigation
The primary revenue lever depends on securing a distribution deal, which is uncertain for an independent creator.
Self-distribution via YouTube Premium, Vimeo OTT, and direct licensing. Festival exposure (Annecy, CTN) opens doors. Diversified revenue across merch, sponsorships, and music reduces single-point dependency.
Current audience is small (10K). Revenue projections depend on audience growth to 50K+.
Episode 1 launch is a natural growth catalyst — new content drives discovery. Marketing budget ($50K at $500K tier) funds paid acquisition. The character's unique aesthetic is highly shareable.
Cody is the sole creative force — writer, animator, voice actor, composer. His availability directly impacts production.
Team expansion budget hires dedicated animators and a producer. This reduces Cody's workload and creates institutional knowledge. The character is already fully designed — new animators can produce in the established style.
Animation production is notoriously difficult to schedule and budget accurately.
Episode 1 is already completed as a template. The production pipeline is proven (cold open in 1 week). Operating reserve provides buffer. A hired producer manages schedule and budget discipline.
Where This Goes
Episode 1 (In Production)
Episode 1, "My Boy Nancy," is currently in production with a targeted completion of July 2026. This episode serves as the proof-of-concept and quality benchmark for the full season.
Season 1 Production
Complete production of Episodes 2-10. Build out the team with dedicated animators and sound design. Deliver a polished, distributable 10-episode series.
Distribution & Launch
Pitch to streaming platforms and networks. Submit to animation festivals (Annecy, SIGGRAPH, CTN). Launch merch store and grow social audience to 50K+ combined.
IP Expansion
Season 2 development. TCG card line expansion. Brand partnerships and sponsorships. Live events and fan experiences. Potential spin-off content.
Multi-Platform Empire
Multiple seasons. Expanded universe with spin-offs. International distribution. Licensing deals for toys, games, and print. Nancy as a household name in adult animation — the kind of IP that generates revenue for decades.
Why Invest Now
Cody has already done the hardest part: building an audience from nothing, proving demand, and delivering a product. The next 7 years are already behind him. This investment funds the scaling, not the experimentation.
Unlike studio-backed projects where investors compete for equity in a company, this is direct IP revenue participation. No co-ownership dilution, no creative compromise, and maximum revenue capture per deal.
Adult animation is having a golden age: Smiling Friends, Rick & Morty, Invincible, Hazbin Hotel. Streaming platforms are hungry for original animated content. The market is bigger than ever — and it rewards authentic voices.
$300-500K for a fully-realized IP with proven audience, completed pilot, and clear production plan. Compare this to $2-5M for a studio-backed animated series with no audience guarantee. The asymmetric upside is significant.
LET'S BUILD
THIS TOGETHER
Full pitch deck, financial model, and term sheet available upon request. This document is confidential and intended for qualified investors only.